📈 Industry Business
Mikaela Shiffrin characterized the 2023-24 campaign as her most rewarding performance yet, having rebounded from a high-speed Cortina crash to secure her eighth Slalom Crystal Globe and 97th career victory. Her continued dominance despite a significant injury layoff solidifies her position as alpine racing’s primary commercial engine and most bankable asset for domestic FIS interest. - Brian Pinelli | POWDER Magazine
Investigations have revealed a sophisticated black market where third-party sites sold illegal daily access to Epic and Ikon accounts, siphoning revenue from major operators. Expect a swift industry-wide pivot toward aggressive biometric verification and enhanced gate security, which could increase friction for legitimate pass holders while protecting the integrity of the subscription model. - PeakRankings
⚙️ Mountain Operations
Telluride’s ski patrol union narrowly avoided a mid-season walkout by ratifying a three-year contract that secures modest wage increases but fails to meet union cost-of-living demands. The friction highlights a systemic threat to mountain operations as stagnant wages struggle to keep veteran safety talent housed in high-end San Juan markets. - PeakRankings
🌨️ Weather
A potent late-March atmospheric river is set to dump up to 30 inches of fresh snow across the Sierra Nevada throughout next week. This significant late-season accumulation will bolster base depths for spring operations and likely trigger rope drops on high-alpine terrain that was beginning to thin. - Powderchasers | POWDER Magazine
Long-range forecasts indicate a transition back to La Niña conditions for the 2025-26 season, projecting colder temperatures and heavy precipitation across the Pacific Northwest, British Columbia, and the Northern Rockies. For resort ops, this necessitates a shift in budget toward early-season snow removal and heavy-duty grooming in the North, while southern-tier mountains should audit their snowmaking efficiency to hedge against a drier outlook. - OnTheSnow
A potent late-season storm cycle is delivering several feet of fresh accumulation across Utah’s Wasatch Range, significantly padding totals at high-alpine destinations like Alta and Snowbird. This surge secures a healthy base depth for the spring transition and guarantees an extended season for enthusiasts looking to milk the LCC’s legendary terrain well into May. - OnTheSnow